Byron Krieger facts for kids
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| Born | July 20, 1920 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Died | November 8, 2015 (aged 95) Boca Raton, Florida, U.S. |
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Byron Lester Krieger (born July 20, 1920 – died November 8, 2015) was an American fencer. He was skilled in three types of fencing swords: the foil, sabre, and épée. Byron Krieger proudly represented the United States in the Olympic Games in 1952 and 1956. He also won two gold medals at the 1951 Pan American Games.
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Early Life and Start in Fencing
Byron Krieger was born and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Later, he lived in Southfield. He was Jewish. Byron went to Northwestern High School. There, he joined the school's fencing club. His English teacher, Beatrice Merriam, led the club and encouraged him to train more at the Salle de Tuscan Fencing Club.
At just 16 years old, Byron became the youngest fencer to reach the State Championship finals. He finished third in the foil competition.
College Fencing Career
Byron Krieger attended Wayne State University in Michigan. His coach from Salle de Tuscan, de Tuscan, also coached there. Byron started fencing with all three weapons: foil, sabre, and épée. He was the captain of the varsity fencing team from 1940 to 1942.
In 1942, he became Wayne State's first champion in foil at the Intercollegiate Fencing Association/NCAA championships. He had an amazing record of 62 wins and only 7 losses in college matches. In foil, he was undefeated with 30 wins and 0 losses. Because of his excellent performance, he was named an All-American.
International Competitions
Byron Krieger became a top-ranked fencer in the United States. He competed as part of an All-Star Midwest team against teams from Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and other U.S. regions. He also represented the United States in matches against Great Britain in Toronto, where he won all his bouts.
At the 1951 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Byron won several medals. He earned gold medals in both team foil and team sabre. He also won a silver medal in team épée. He fenced 113 matches in just 10 days, more than any other fencer there! Byron was the only American fencer to defeat the Argentine National Champion.
In 1957, Byron competed in the Maccabiah Games in Israel. These games are a major international Jewish athletic event. He won a gold medal in individual sabre. He also won a gold medal with the foil team, alongside his Olympic teammate Al Axelrod. Additionally, he earned a bronze medal in individual foil. Byron was the only athlete from Michigan to represent the United States at these games.
Throughout his career, Byron Krieger won 55 state and Midwest titles across all three fencing weapons. Five times, he won titles in all three weapons in the same year!
Olympic Appearances
Byron Krieger competed for the United States in two Olympic Games.
- At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, he competed in the team foil event. His team reached the quarterfinals.
- At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, when he was 36 years old, he reached the final round in team foil with the American team, finishing fourth. During these games, he competed against France and Italy. Byron was the first American fencer to defeat Christian d'Oriola, a French fencer who had won two Olympic gold medals. Interestingly, the entire USA Foil Fencing Team at the 1956 Olympics was Jewish. The other Jewish fencers on the team were Daniel Bukantz, Albert Axelrod, Nathaniel Lubell, and Harold Goldsmith.
Achievements and Recognition
Byron Krieger received the Detroit Sports Guild Outstanding Athlete Award in 1951. He was honored by being inducted into several Halls of Fame:
- Michigan Amateur Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
- Wayne State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976 (he was one of the first six people inducted).
- Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.
For 15 years during his career, Byron was officially ranked as one of the top 10 fencers in the nation. His Olympic warm-up suit and some of his press photos are displayed at the Museum of American Fencing.
Later Life and Legacy
After his competitive fencing career, Byron Krieger continued to be involved in the sport. He was chosen to be a referee for the Olympia-style Latin American Games in Venezuela and Guatemala. For many years, he served as the President of the Michigan Division of the Amateur Fencers' League and the Salle de Tuscan Fencing Club. He also spent many years officiating at state and college fencing matches.
Byron had a long career with the Internal Revenue Service in Detroit. He retired in 1979 and then started his own private practice.
In 1956, Byron met his wife, Jocelyn Ruth, an actress and writer, in New York City. They were founding members of the Young Israel of Southfield and were involved with the Detroit Chabad community. In 2015, they celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary. They had six children, 16 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. Byron's grandson, Sam Larson, also fenced for the Yeshiva University NCAA team from 2012 to 2015.
Byron Krieger passed away at age 95 on November 8, 2015. He died from injuries he received in a fire at his home in Boca Raton, Florida. His wife of 57 years was with him at the time and survived.
See also
- List of select Jewish fencers
